Family Vacation – …on the B.L.

20190223_113942-01 — I really do love staring into the ocean. | Bikini top. | Bikini bottom.

201903224888024445917065014 — I can’t believe my dad is in the ocean with me!!!

201903223106048705503310352 — Hammock at the pool bar. | Sunglasses | Top | Shorts

20190322579993068540176312 — Three generations sipping on drinks at the poolside bar.

It seems like everyone has been to Mexico. Definitely not everyone, but a whole bunch of people. The closest I had been was Calexico, California, which is literally on the border, but it’s still not Mexico. On my cruise last month – I am so behind on the blog posts – I ported in Cozumel. The thing about cruises is that you don’t really get to experience the destination. I was only there for seven hours give or take.

201903226608354750082598009 — My parents are always up for fun in the sun. | Bikini top. | Bikini bottoms.

The ocean was so blue. I can equate it to blue Gatorade. My time in Mexico was spent at a day resort: Nachi-Cocom. Pretty much the thing of dreams. I was ready to move in. I think it was $50 for the day, and it included all food and drinks. I think I drank them out of virgin mango daiquiris. I can’t describe the amount of joy it brought me to sit on the beach drinking a fruity drink and eating french fries brought to me. Joy. The resort had huts on the beach and lots of chairs. There was also a restaurant and bathrooms. A pool and hot tub with a swim up bar was also enticing. There were beds to lounge in. A bar by the beach. Hammocks hanging between palm trees. Really it was fabulous.

I spent the day at the resort with my parents, great aunt, and cousins. I went parasailing for the first time with my seven and fourteen year old cousins. They had both been before, so I’m the old lady. It was quite the experience. Not cheap but super cool. Worth it once, I think. It is a really pretty vantage point to look at the ocean and the island. It was beautiful.

20190223_100057-01 — Parasailing was wonderful.

My poor mom had a restless night on the cruise ship because there was a lot of motion. She was exhausted the whole day in Cozumel. I’m so glad she decided to come with us. Growing up, my dad was never a huge fan of the water. I really only remember him getting in the summer kiddy pool once when I was four after a very long bike ride in the heat. My dad ran into the ocean in Cozumel before I did. THAT NEVER HAPPENS. Watching my dad laugh and play in the ocean with my seven year old cousin and 80 year old great aunt was worth the trip. He and I played and waded. It was an amazing few hours in Mexico.

If you’re ever in Cozumel, I would highly suggest stopping by the day resort. On top of the stunning scenery, there are also massages and spa stuff to enjoy. It is a great place to relax and read a book or catch up with friends. They have a cap on how many people are allowed a day, so you will never be too crowded. Though Nachi-Cocom was something full of dreams, I would not consider it an immersive or even real experience of Mexico.

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The bikini I wore is on super sale on Asos. I love it. It was so comfortable. I could eat fries and not feel expose because of the high waisted bikini bottom. There are low waisted version, which I also own. (TMI warning) The bikini top was comfortable and made my boobs look great!!! I bought all three for under $14 combined. I am obsessed with the lavender sunglasses from Target. The lavender backless shirt is amazing and so soft. Perfect for summer, working out, or sunburn. The high waisted shorts are a favorite.

20190322160866465158185305 — There is something wonderful about the ocean. | Bikini top. | Bikini bottoms.

20190217_122100-01 — Starting our day in Jackson Square!

20190217_133841-01 — Exploring the aquarium.

20190217_132348-01 — The most adorable little birds!

20190217_145917-01 — I like paddle wheels.

20190217_170340-01 — Dinner at Tujague’s.

Growing up, my dad was always good at carving out time just to spend with me. We would go out to dinner, see dance productions, car shows, and more. As an adult, carving out daddy-dotter time is a little harder. (My dad has always called me “dotter. D-O-T-T-E-R.” He can spell, but he sacrifices grammar for humor.)

Before heading on my grandma’s 80th birthday cruise, my parents and I spent five days in New Orleans with family. The first full day we were there, Mom spent time with friends of hers, so Dad and I were left to fend for ourselves. Our only instructions from Mom: Don’t do anything I want to do. Which left us contemplating all the things she wanted to do that we could jam into one day. We’re asses like that. We decided to continue living on to another day and filled our time with things we’d already done together but not in well over 15 years.

What is the first thing any sane person does in New Orleans? Cafe du Monde is the correct answer, which is what we did. We grabbed two orders of beignets and two cafe au laits to go. We people watched while munching on the food of New Orleans in Jackson Square listening to jazz musicians. I mean, it can’t get more New Orleans than that. Unless of rain, there is always art displayed by their creators lining the square. Dad and I zeroed in on a rather huge image of a bull. He has a thing for cow art, which I have adopted out of love for him. We didn’t take it home. (See “living on to another day.”)

The night before, I had mentioned the aquarium and a boat tour. We bought tickets for the Natchez and headed to the aquarium. I grew up going to the Audubon Aquarium of the Americas. It was one of my favorite places in New Orleans. Not much has changed in the 15 plus years since I’ve been. It’s smaller than I remember, but almost everything is. My dad did, what he probably did when I was little, tagged along as I darted from fishy to fishy. The only real difference time has made is the fact I now refer to clown fish as “Nemos” because when I was little, Finding Nemo didn’t exist yet. Oh, there is now a parakeet exhibit, which was a little bit on the unexpectedly phenomenal side of fun. There were a few hundred bright parakeets bopping around. They were incredibly attracted to Dad, but most people are too.

I LOVE this picture of my dad and a parakeet.

Walking out of the aquarium, the steam calliope from the Natchez bounced off the buildings from half a mile away. I had taken the boat tour about twenty years earlier. My paralyzing fear of falling in and dying in the under currant of the Mississippi kept me from venturing much outside the interior cabin of the boat. This time, I embraced the fear enough to walk around and explore the boat. We wandered to the lowest deck where the steam engine and all the good parts that make it go are held. Dad is a wealth of knowledge and loves engines – in a previous life, he was a mechanic. More than anything, we had a good time laughing watching the river go by.

Getting off the boat, we realized we were in need of sustenance. I decided on Tujague’s because it’s delicious. (Hindsight, I decided on almost everything. Such is the life of a good dad.) We were there before the dinner doors even opened. We sat down to a lovely meal with quite a view. Dad and I are experienced people watchers. New Orleans is an hott spot for just that with Tujague’s being positioned on the corner of weirdo central.

Daylight was gone, but we weren’t ready to go home yet. We walked through Bourbon Street, which is a real treat even at 6:30 pm on a Sunday evening. Gotta love New Orleans. We continued meandering through the Quarter bopping into art galleries along the way. Accidentally walking passed the Carousel Bar, we decided to go in because I had heard of it but never seen it. Now, I have! With tired feet we decided to head towards home.

Except….

The Westin’s lobby is on the eleventh floor of the building. A bar in the lobby overlooks the river and the quarter. Dad was convinced I had been there when I was itty bitty. (We found out later, I hadn’t.) He knew the view was brilliant, so we didn’t go home just yet. We enjoyed drinks (one virgin and one fully alcoholed) in the lobby bar looking out the huge windows before actually heading home.

We didn’t get home until 9:00 pm, but we still beat my mom home. I loved all the activities. Nothing we did was particularly new. The most memorable part of the day was spending it with my dad. There are so few daddy-dotter days in adulthood, so each one means a great deal. I have known him my entire life, but I feel like I’m just getting to know him.

Tag: Family Vacation

Cozumel, Mexico

New Orleans Daddy-Dotter Day